A Captain's Fear
by DangoCorn
Summary: Nami could feel Luffy shaking. She could feel her strong, fearless captain shaking uncontrollably in her arms as they sat on the damp grass of the deck. [One-Shot].


**I don't own the display image.**

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Joy was overflowing on the Sunny where everyone, at long last, had reunited. Their ship sunk into the ocean, the blinding light of the sun subsiding. They were onto their journey to Fishman Island. Everyone was welcomed by schools of confused fishes and chilly water. Everything seemed to be going well.

Until, something worrying happened.

The playmates; Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper, were, as annoying as it was to the navigator, making a loud racket by running around the Sunny, playing their casual game of tag. They had deeply missed spending time with one another and the feeling of being plain goofballs.

Nami was observing her logpose, leaning on the railings. Tilting her head back, she watched the occasional movements of little fishes swimming frantically once spotting the Sunny (a strange, scary creature, in the poor things' eyes). She had tilted her head back a little too far, causing her to lose her balance.

"Ow!" she cried out, feeling her ankle twist. She then heard the voice of her captain calling her name in complete desperation.

"NAMI!" Luffy shrieked, the fright in his voice ever so noticeable. He had been at the other side of the Sunny, but somehow managed to stretch fast enough and grab Nami before she fell off the ship. With no alarm, he pulled her towards him and gave her a tight hug. Nami was baffled, and wasn't sure how to react, but she could feel Luffy shaking.

She could feel her strong, fearless captain shaking uncontrollably in her arms as they sat on the damp grass of the deck.

"I'm sorry," was all she could muster. She didn't mean to cause him so much distress. She had seen him agitated before, but not for such mere accidents. Once she regained her composure, she wrapped her arms around him and gave him gentle pats. The whole crew had gathered onto the deck. Slowly, Nami felt him relaxing.

Everything and everyone was quiet until, suddenly, Luffy broke the hug and got up. For a mere second, Nami could see fret in his eyes, but it soon melted away as his eyes squinted, a big grin broadening onto his face.

"HAHA, SORRY!" he said, scratching his neck uncomfortably. The crew could feel the tension in his voice. He turned around and faced Usopp and Chopper.

"It was my turn for tagging you guys, right?" He ran towards Chopper and poked him in the shoulder. "TAG, YOU'RE IT!"

Chopper gave Nami a concerned look before running off after his captain. Dropping the subject temporarily, everyone started gradually going back to whatever they'd been doing, despite the worry they were now carrying.

Nami and Zoro, however, didn't. The navigator got onto her feet and, making sure she didn't lean over the railing, covered her face with one of her hands.

"Zoro," she whispered, her voice cracking. "He's still..."

"I know," he replied, gently wrapping his fingers around Wado.

The rest of the day carried on. There was an uncomfortable silence throughout the ship; minus the occasional laughter of their captain as he tried proving to everyone he was okay.

Dinner came around and it seemed as though Luffy was even more enthusiastic about his food than usual, as he had finished three quarters of the food on the table before everyone got their hands on their shares.

"BAAH! FULL!" he exclaimed, patting his stomach before rocketing off the kitchen bench and storming out to the deck. "G'NIGHT!"

And that was when Zoro took the first step towards giving his captain the serenity and ease he very strongly needed. No one questioned him when he got off his chair and exited the kitchen. He took a deep breath before walking towards the men's quarters.

Zoro gave out an over exaggerated yawn as he entered the room. He could see Luffy lying down in his hammock quietly, his straw hat covering his face.

Clumsily, Zoro slipped his boots off and settled in his own hammock. It was getting later, and later, and the swordsman could tell that the rest of his nakama had decided not to sleep in the men's quarters that night.

Luffy had realized that as well.

Zoro had been listening carefully to his captain's breathing. He could notice his steady breathing gradually turn erratic, and soon it turned into quiet sniffles.

"Zoro..." Luffy murmured wistfully, salty rivers flowing down his shaking cheeks.

"Luffy sencho," Zoro replied, the confidence in his voice strong and loud.

Those two short words.

They were powerful enough to instantly dispel Luffy's fears. His fear of being weak. His fear of feeling hopeless again. His fear of losing more of the people he loved.

All he had to do was hear the reassuring and confident words of his first mate, and the strength he had within him, just like that, blossomed anew.


End file.
